Element support means for knitting machines



Nov. 28, 1961 F. E. PAUL ELEMENT SUPPORT MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 19. 1959 INVENTOR. FREDRI C E. PnuL.

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United States Patent 3,010,300 ELEMENT SUPPORT MEANSYFOR KNITTING MACHINES Frederic E. Paul, Drexel Hill, Pa., assignor to Wildman Jacquard Co., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Jan. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 787,464 1 Claim. (Cl. 6693) A more specific object is that of sustaining these elements at the same height they would normally assume if not stressed by the yarn being drawn over them as stated.

It is a further object to accomplish these ends without resort to expensive or complicated devices and by a means which shall not interfere with or have an adverse effect upon the knitting function.

Other objects will become apparent from the following detailed disclosure.

In certain knitting machines, for example, those adapted to knit terry cloth, terry or pile loops are drawn over edges raised or elevated as compared to the edges over which the stitches of the base fabric are drawn. These edges, so-called, may preferably be in the form of points or dummy needles which are supported in slots or the like in a dial or dial-like bed. They are furthermore actuated by cams which project them from their guiding and supporting means to enter between needles as the latter take yarn whereupon the said needles draw the yarn over the upper edges of these elements.

In performing their function it becomes necessary that they project or extend a considerable distance from their support and this overhanging or cantilever relationship gives rise to a considerable bending of the elements as stressed by the pull of the yarn which is very forcibly and rapidly drawn to form stitches.

This deflection of the elements is, of course, objectionable since the length of the pile loops is less than theoretically provided for and also the uniformity suffers to considerable degree.

According to the invention, a simple and effective means is provided which sustains the ends of these elements and constitutes a bearing upon which they may slide during that period of time in the cycle when they have loops being measured over them. This support is preferably fixed to the sinker cam cap or some other fixed part of the device and has its active part positioned within the circle of needles yet does not interfere with the knitting function at all.

The invention will be described by reference to a specific embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying figures of drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a section taken through part of a knitting machine to which the invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of part of the machine showing the element supporting member.

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the same as seen from within the needle circle.

Now referring to FIG. 1, the invention has been applied to a mul-ti-feed knitting machine, one knitting station only of which isshown and which has a needle accelerating means functioning for a purpose more fully 3,010,300 Patented Nov. 28, 1961 disclosed in other applications copending, disclosures of which need not be incorporated here as they are not necessary to an understanding of this invention itself.

The mechanism includes among other parts edges such as sinkers or web holders over which the base yarn is measured by the needles in forming the base or ground fabric and more elevated means over which a pile yarn is measured in combination with a needle cam and jack system by which needles are drawn to form each stitch as nearly independently of its adjacent stitch as is feasible. More specifically a cylinder 10 is mounted for rotation with a base ring 11 having a bearing in a circular, fixed base member 12. Ring 11 is rotated in known manner through a ring gear 13;

Needles 14 of latch type having butts 15 are slidable in the usual slots in the cylinder and these butts are not acted upon directly through cams as is the common practice, but are caused to take their yarns and knit by means hereafter described.

Web holders or sinkers 16 of conventional type are slidably carried in a sinker head 17 which is fixed to the needle cylinder for rotation with it while a sinker cap 18 with the usual sinker cams acts upon sinker butts in the usual way.

Here it is contemplated that only the base or body yarn be drawn by measuring it over sinker edges. It is common practice to draw pile loops over specially shaped sinker nibs but to get very long loops it becomes more practical to draw them over edges higher than the sink ers. Accordingly, a dial 19 is used in which elements in the form of dummy needles 20 are slidably mounted to be moved in and out by earns 21 and 22 in dial cam cap 23. The dial rotates synchronously with the cylinder while the dial cap is stationary. The dummy needles are positioned to project outwardly between cylinder needles and between the feeding yarns as will be described, and the pile yarn is drawn over them. The dummy needles are provided with butts 24 by which the cams cause them to pass through the required wave.

While the needles 14 may be actuated in any convenient manner, the means shown herein comprises accelerating levers and earns by which those levers are caused to function. These levers or pivoted jacks 25 are carried in a supporting ring 26 in turn fixed upon a flange 27 adapted to rotate with cylinder 10, as shown. Each jack is also formed with a rocking or pivot member 28, a forked end 29 which enters its respective needle slot and engages the butt 15 of that needle, also angularly disposed shank portions 30 and 31 engageable by cams 32 and 33, respectively. Cam 32 depresses needles while cam 33 elevates them. So that the jacks may be guided in their slots to as great an extent as practicable, the ring 26 is circumferentially grooved at its top horizontal face for entry of cams 32 and 33 and also centrally so as to make possible the easy machining of a groove within which the rounded end of members 28 may rock.

A plurality of supporting sections 34 or the like have attached at their upper portions cam plates 35 to which are affixed the cams 32 and 33, before mentioned. These plates extend inwardly to a point close to the cylinder and in combination with the sections 34 more or less enclose this cam and needle jack system.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the dummy needles are projected outwardly in a wave as the needles take their yarns and the rapid drawing of the pile or loop yarn over the dummy needles puts a considerable strain on them. Without the present invention the effect of this is to bend them downwardly. They can tilt to some extent in their slots, but, of course, are restrained from any extreme movement by their cams on cap 23. The fact they overhang their support so far makes the flexing excessive and naturally each dummy needle does not tilt and flex exactly the same amount as its neighboring needles so that several undesired results are forthcommg.

According to the invention a cam-like support of special shape is provided and includes a plate 36, a downwardly bent shank 37 and a cam-like support 38. The latter is horizontal at its top surface, FIG. 3, but has Well rounded ends so that the dummy needles may pass onto and from the sustaining surface smoothly. It is for these ends and the fact that the elements slide past the member much as they would pass over a cam that it is referred to as cam-like.

The plate is screwed to the sinker cam cap 23 or is attached in any convenient way to a fixed part adjacent the passing instrumentalities. The shank 37 is so formed and bent as to supportthe part 38 rigidly but also permits the ends of the dummy needles to pass without interference. The needles 14 pass beneath it. The length of'the part 38 and its position are such as to'support the dummy needles at the time while loops are being measured and drawn over them. In effect, this member 38 becomes a supplementary means in addition to the support means or dial to maintain the elements 20 at proper elevation.

They are withdrawn toward the dial so that the pile loops are released to pass under shank 37.

The part 38 may be of similar steel alloy to that used for cams and may preferably be brazed to the shank 37, the latter and plate 36 being of a more common steel. Lubrication of non-staining type may be used or the camlike surfaces may be at least partially comprised of a self-lubricating material.

While means for moving the needles in their stitch forming wave is preferably of the accelerating type described and shown, that really does not constitute any part of nor is it a limitation on the scope of the invention. Other and more direct needle actuating means may be utilized.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is tobe understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claim.

I claim:

In an independent needle type knitting machine the combination of a needle cylinder, needles carried by said cylinder, cam means effective for moving said needles to take yarn and draw stitches, asupporting dial-like means and radially movable elements operatively carried thereby, means effective for projecting said elements between needles and retracting them therefrom, said ele ments when thus projected having an overhanging relation to said supporting means and serving as edges over which needles. may measure and draw stitches, and a supplementary means between which and said elements there is relative motion peripherally of the machine by which the overhanging ends of said elements are supported while stitches measured over them are being drawn and until said elements are retracted and the stitches shed from them, said supplemental means comprising a cam-like member positioned inside the circle of needles and beneath said elements and a supporting plate and a shank between said plate and cam-like mem ber, said plate being attached to a relatively fixed part of the machine outside the circle of needles.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 502,688 Westcott Aug. 1, 1893 1,027,034 Crane Mayv2l, 1912 1,211,872. Perkins Jan. 9, 1917 1,838,739 Breathwaite Dec. 29, 1931 2,436,904 Shea Mar. 2, 1948 

